"Twilight, it's so nice of you to accompany me on the train to Canterlot," Sunset Shimmer told the purple Alicorn mare with a smile. "It's nice not to be alone anymore." Sunset shuffled her hooves and looked at the ground of the moving train.
"Well, why wouldn't I? Wouldn't be much of a good friend and mentor to a bright unicorn, would I?" Twilight Sparkle said in response, putting her book down. She looked to her left to see a small filly, holding up a picture of Twilight's head. Twilight smiled and took a nearby quill to sign it, to the filly's happiness.
Sunset looked at Twilight with twinkly eyes. "Well, Princess Celestia gave you these." She tapped Twilight's wings. "She wouldn't have given them to you if you weren't supposed to use them... right?" Twilight stared into space for a second, thinking of all the times ponies have mentioned her wings at irrelevant times. She looked into Sunset's eyes.
"A pony holding both wings and a horn is the description of an Alicorn. Being made one is meant for a sign of authority and magic. With them, they grant the pony the wisdom and heart of an Earth pony, magic of a unicorn, and the wing power of a Pegasus." Twilight thought for a moment. "And having all of these qualities stands for equality between all races of ponies. Having all of these qualities means a fit leader for Equestria."
"But that's not what I mean," Sunset interrupted. "Why didn't you just use your wings to fly to Canterlot?"
"That would mean I'd have to carry you with my magic, which could bring harm to you. And besides..." Twilight chuckled. "I did fly with Rainbow Dash and other Pegasi at the Canterlot Contest of Wings and Aerobatics last night. I'm pretty exhausted... I guess that makes me a "weakling", as the hardcore Pegasi from Cloudsdale would say."
"Why would they disrespect a Princess of Equestria that way?"
"Oh, Sunset!" Twilight giggled. "I'm not a Princess of Equestria. I'm the leader of Ponyville now. Maybe someday I'll get to that point." Her smile faltered. "I think the Mayor is working as a Ponyville grocery store employee now."
"Really?" Sunset thought for a moment. She didn't think that somepony could actually drive an authority figure to a different job that quickly and easily.
"Yep. It's not my fault though. The Tree of Harmony, which has kept Equestria safe for thousands of years, seemed to think that I was ready for a leadership. It gave me my own castle!"
"A tree did that? Sorry, but that's kind of hard to believe." Sunset smirked.
"This is no ordinary tree. This is where the Elements of Harmony came from. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna used them to turn Discord to stone, and Celestia used them to banish Nightmare Moon... to the moon. My friends and I also turned Nightmare back to Princess Luna, and Discord back to stone after he escaped. It's a shame that we had to give the elements back to the tree, or it wouldn't have survived."
"Discord? Nightmare Moon?" Sunset seemed as confused as a cactus in a desert filled with snow. Not that cacti really have emotions, or that deserts are filled with snow. "I know of Nightmare Moon, but wasn't that just an old Mare's tale? And who's Discord? His name sounds rather disharmonious."
"Yeah... many ponies thought Nightmare Moon was real, but honestly, where could Celestia's sister have been? Discord was the spirit of chaos and disharmony. You should have seen all the damage he'd done during the 4 hours after he'd escaped from his stone prison. Maybe after
our appointment with the Princess, we can go see him."
"See him? I thought you'd turned him to stone again!"
"That's how I thought it was going to stay, but one day, Celestia came to us, asking Fluttershy to encourage him to use his powers for good instead of evil."
"Fluttershy?!" Sunset's eyes were wide.
"Whoops. I haven't told you about my friends yet..."
"Tell me!" Sunset spoke in a very loud and excited tone of voice, causing many heads to turn their direction. "Uh... sorry. Carry on."
Ten minutes and two bagels later...
"...and then there's Pinkie Pie. You know her. She's a big party pony with the positive attitude, and is an employee of a sweets shop with possibly the best sugar-coated sweets in Equestria."
"Hmm." Sunset paused. "I guess I really shouldn't be surprised if there's alternate versions of everything. Heck, there's probably a different human version of me back somewhere near Canterlot High. 'This place is ridiculous!' I thought. 'A principal Celestia? Is that a coincidence or what?' However, I'm pretty sure the vice principal Luna was not banished to the moon, nor is she over 1,000 years old. But hey, living in a confusing universe? You never really know." The two laughed. They heard a loud voice ahead of them.
"Train to Canterlot has arrived at the proper destination. Please remain seated until the train comes at a full stop."
"Well, here we are. We gotta get to Canterlot Castle and find Princess Celestia," said Twilight excitedly. Sunset sighed. "Sunset? What's wrong?"
"Sure can't wait to go over with Celestia all of the rules I've broken in the past. It's rather depressing, thinking about the trouble that awaits you." Sunset looked out the window at the castle standing tall. "Or rather, the trouble that you have caused before. But as I once told Celestia, you know, before I turned cold and corrupted, 'I think you may want to teach me how to make friends. I've been alone with my studies. It could be making a bad influence... on me.' And you know what she told me? 'I may be a Princess and your mentor, but I need you to know that, just like a true friend, I'll always be there for you.' And Celestia was the only pony I accepted as a friend, until I turned into the rotten little snowflake that..." Twilight gave her a look of concern, stopping Sunset for a mere few seconds. "...that I once was. I guess friendship teaches you that you can't always think about yourself."
Twilight froze, looking into space again.
"Y-you know what, Sunset?" Twilight said in a light tone of voice. "If it weren't for Celestia assigning me to make some friends, I would have still been the ignorant and careless pony I once was for the rest of my life." Twilight looked at her wings. "And, might I add, not capable of meeting all of the qualities of an Alicorn princess."
"Did Celestia ask you to meet some friends because of how cold, lonely and selfish I was when I had no friends to offer me love and affection?"
"There's one way to find out."
Canterlot Castle...
"Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia said, joyfully. "Did Sunset Shimmer come with you?" The young orange unicorn mare walked into Celestia's eyesight from behind Twilight. "Sunset Shimmer."
"Princess Celestia!" Sunset Shimmer said, running towards Celestia with a smile. "Oh, Princess! Would you ever forgive me? I'll take my punishment! From now on--"
"Sunset Shimmer," Celestia said with a smile, "I have already forgiven you. No punishment is necessary. This meeting is about something different." Celestia looked over at Twilight. "Princess Twilight, I understand Sunset is now going to be your pupil."
"That's correct, Princess," said Twilight. "Whoops! Is this an official meeting? Where's my crown? Where's my crown?!" Twilight dug into her saddlebag frantically.
"No need for your crown. This is a casual visit between three ponies."
"There's nothing informal about a meeting with royalty!" Twilight said.
"Need I remind you that you are, in fact, Equestrian royalty now? A meeting between two royal ponies doesn't have to be so formal. Unfortunately, the public is convinced that royalty is the definition of 'fancy' and 'formal'. I've tried my best to convince ponies that royal ponies aren't just snobby serious ponies, but do they listen to me?" Celestia smiled as Twilight continued to dig into her saddlebag. Sunset Shimmer smiled, rolling her eyes. Typical Twilight, Sunset and Celestia thought alike.
"Aha!" Twilight levitated her crown out of her bag and gently placed it on her head. She sneezed, knocking the crown off her head again. "Sorry! Sorry! Pollen counts high this season. Hope you'll forgive me for being so crude and inconsiderate at this meeting."
"Did she listen to anything you just said?" Sunset whispered to Celestia, both smirking.
"You know Twilight," Celestia whispered back. "Once she's frantic, she won't give it a rest." Celestia now spoke in a normal tone of voice. "Excuse me, Princess Twilight, but we need to discuss Sunset's future if she chooses to take your generous offer as a mentor." Celestia smiled. "Follow me."
She led the two younger ponies into a room full of stained-glass windows. They stopped in front of a brand new one. It featured Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer, shaking hooves. They were surrounded by what looked to be books representing studies, magical sparkles representing magic, and what appeared to be dancing and laughing ponies, and did not have any identity, as they were all the same color: blue. Possibly symbolic of friendship.
"This represents the outcome if you choose this path," Celestia said. "You've both made me proud, one pony taking the same steps as me being a mentor, and another taking the same steps as the other once had that had led her to success. I hope you realize that you're doing the right thing." Celestia looked at Sunset. "But remember, you need to be willing to take the advice of your mentor. Encouraging yourself to learn how to be successful properly will lead to success."
"Princess," Twilight said, "I have a question. I've been wondering, you know, ever since Sunset mentioned her past, was she the reason you encouraged me to make friends? So I wouldn't be lonely and self-centered?" Twilight quickly turned to Sunset. "Uh... no offense!"
"None taken!" Sunset said.
Celestia smiled. "That is a question I will not answer, but for you to answer yourself. Tell me, Princess Twilight, how do you imagine yourself if you didn't have any friends to love or to love you?"
"I'd be..." Twilight thought about it. "To this day, I'd be sitting in the Canterlot Castle library reading dusty old books, without the knowledge I've learned while experiencing friendship, like that you can't always think about yourself, and that you can't always have things the way you want them to be."
"You'd be just like I once was," Sunset said.
"So, Sunset..." Celestia said, "...what's your decision?"
"I want..." Sunset said. "I want... to be Twilight's student. It sounds like her studies and experiences have made her a better pony, and I want to compensate for the guilt I've kept inside since my old Sunset Shimmer times."
"All right then," Celestia said. "You'd better get teaching and studying, then! There's a lot to learn. You'll see." And with that, Twilight and Sunset said their goodbyes and walked out the castle doors.